Cox Media Group signed multi‑year local broadcast agreements to air Orlando Magic games on WRDQ and WFTV in Central Florida and Charlotte Hornets regular‑season games on WAXN and WSOC across the Carolinas beginning with the 2026-27 NBA season. The deals — including a new Action Sports Jax TV service in northeast Florida carrying Magic games and other regional sports — expand free over‑the‑air access to live NBA content and create integrated advertising opportunities for local and regional marketers.
Programming Cox Media Group Strikes Multi‑Year Deals To Bring Orlando Magic & Charlotte Hornets To Broadcast TV Aug 12, 2026 | TVN Staff | Add comment Facebook Tweet Save this article for later! Login or create a Free Member Profile to bookmark it. It will air Orlando Magic games across Central Florida and Charlotte Hornets games over the air in the Carolinas beginning with the 2026-27 NBA season, expanding local live-sports coverage. Cox Media Group will bring more local NBA games to free, over‑the‑air television after signing multi‑year local broadcast deals with the Orlando Magic and Charlotte Hornets that begin with the 2026-27 season. The agreements will put Orlando Magic games on WRDQ and WFTV across Central Florida, and make Charlotte Hornets regular‑season games available on WAXN and WSOC across the Carolinas. The Hornets’ deal marks the first time in 27 years that the team’s games will be broadcast free over the air in the region. In northeast Florida and Jacksonville, games will primarily air on a newly created Action Sports Jax TV on WJAX (ch. 47.2), with additional broadcasts planned on WJAX and WFOX, Cox said. “Local sports belong to the fans, and they belong on broadcast television to best serve those fans and local communities,” Dan York, CMG president-CEO, said in a statement. He said the moves build on CMG’s local journalism and programming and create opportunities for local advertisers. The company said the deals are intended to make hometown teams and live, appointment‑viewing sports content more accessible to all fans while creating premium opportunities for local and regional advertisers. Advertisers will be able to run integrated campaigns spanning broadcast, social media and community events surrounding games, the company said. CMG Jacksonville’s planned Action Sports Jax TV will aim to be a local sports hub, the company said. In addition to airing the Magic, the channel will carry professional, college and high school sports, regional programming, and Jaguars pregame and postgame shows, along wit
Curated by Taleb Kabbara · Source: tvnewscheck.com
Cox Media Group, Orlando Magic, Charlotte Hornets, WRDQ, WFTV, WAXN, WSOC, Action Sports Jax TV, WJAX, WFOX, CMG Jacksonville, Jaguars, Dan York, TVNewsCheck, TVN Staff
Cox Media Group: Cox Media Group is a broadcasting and media company that signed multi‑year local broadcast deals to air Orlando Magic and Charlotte Hornets games on free over‑the‑air television beginning with the 2026-27 NBA season.
Orlando Magic: Orlando Magic is an NBA team whose games will air across Central Florida on WRDQ, WFTV and will also be carried on CMG Jacksonville’s planned Action Sports Jax TV.
Charlotte Hornets: Charlotte Hornets is an NBA team whose regular‑season games will be made available over the air in the Carolinas on WAXN and WSOC beginning with the 2026-27 NBA season.
WRDQ: WRDQ is a television station that will broadcast Orlando Magic games across Central Florida as part of Cox Media Group’s local broadcast deal.
WFTV: WFTV is a television station that will broadcast Orlando Magic games across Central Florida as part of Cox Media Group’s local broadcast deal.
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